Okay now the botting is getting a little out of hand...

[KageTokage]

If you can really IP ban a PC as opposed to the address it's connecting from, that would be a heck of a lot more effective at controlling bots as they tend to be multi-boxing several hundred accounts on the same PC using modded, stripped-down clients that basically aren't doing anything other then sending the commands to the server needed to play their characters.

I've never seen bots proliferate to the degree they do in XIV in any other MMO, not even F2P ones so SE is clearly doing something really wrong with how they go about banning them.

[Rasikko]

If you can really IP ban a PC as opposed to the address it's connecting from, that would be a heck of a lot more effective at controlling bots as they tend to be multi-boxing several hundred accounts on the same PC using modded, stripped-down clients that basically aren't doing anything other then sending the commands to the server needed to play their characters.

I've never seen bots proliferate to the degree they do in XIV in any other MMO, not even F2P ones so SE is clearly doing something really wrong with how they go about banning them.

They were really bad in FFXI during the era before they started placing high level goblins at fishing spots to kill all the fishing bots(there were 1000s of them..) - this had the unfortunate consequence of preventing actual fishers from using those locations unless they were high enough so that the goblin wouldn't aggro. The pos hackers(akin to the teleporting bots in FFXIV) were mainly seen by the miners/woodworkers(I forgot what they were called..).

[Dirwen]

They were really bad in FFXI during the era before they started placing high level goblins at fishing spots to kill all the fishing bots(there were 1000s of them..) - this had the unfortunate consequence of preventing actual fishers from using those locations unless they were high enough so that the goblin wouldn't aggro. The pos hackers(akin to the teleporting bots in FFXIV) were mainly seen by the miners/woodworkers(I forgot what they were called..).

Worse was when RMT had Sky on lockdown in early FF11 when it was the main endgame content outside of ground HNMs and a lesser extent Sea. Forcing endgame players to buy Sky triggers from RMT otherwise unable to get Sky gear. It was many months before SE even did anything. SE is very slow and incompetent when dealing with RMT and it is nice knowing that the same is for FF14...

[DumdogsWorld]

Thats why there are bans based on the mac address of the motherboard and you combine them with ip address, which allows you how many accounts have logged in on certain pc and ip address.
I asure you there is no escape from ban like that.

If it's data being sent through a wire, it can be spoofed. It isn't impossible for the mac address in the packet you're sending out to be different from your actual mac address.

And of course, IPs are infinitely easier to bypass than that. Besides the fact that many ISPs shuffle their IPs from time to time (you can inherit somebody else's IP ban just because you got assigned their old IP), there are also ISPs that let you pay extra per month for a custom static IP. Back before my ISP was changed, I used to simply change my external IP whenever I wanted to log into an IP-banned service. It worked like a charm, albeit I often needed a new email address for a new account.

[hynaku]

Only thing can think of maybe have a program when SE does maintenance it installs it on player that being banned so every time they use that console or pc it detect it and not allow them to login on the console or pc there trying to.

[WalxAtNite]

I don't understand why they don't have reps in game watching for this kind of thing, seeing it with their own eyes, and then instantly suspending them until it can be proven they're bots, at which point they get suspended. Hell, just pay some of the players to do it.

I understand it could be abused, but what's worse? The off chance that the wrong account gets suspended for a day... or this?

[RokkuEkkusu]

I've seen scenarios where rmt bots from at least 2 different servers advertise the same rmt website using the shout chat in Limsa Lominsa Lower Decks. I agree that the siutations are getting out of hand.

[Omymy]

It is a disgrace that this company allows such things. Bots in main cities, flying, walking under the ground. Not only does the feeling of immersion get out of you completely, but it's embarrassing and I don't think new players will see it with good eyes.

[SomethingCool]

Could just go the same route as some other MMOs that essentially allowed it but let you buy/sell currency via them for example in WoW you can buy a token in their store that has a value of gold based on server economy. Post it on the AH and someone will buy it to redeem for their sub. The token costs more than a monthly sub so they technically make more from the rmt

[KageTokage]

The WoW token still didn't stop the RMTers. They just simply adjust their prices so that buying gold from them is still cheaper.

All it really did was increase Blizzard's profits by giving players a legit and safe method of buying in-game currency.